Closing die for rope making machines



Nov. 15, 1,932. P. FRANK CLOSING DIE FOR ROPE MAKING MACHINES Fixed sept, 17,. 1931 Q0 F BY W W):

, INV

ATTORNEY Patented N ov. 15,

UNITED ASTATES PETEE EEANx, or wILxEs-EAEEE, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNoE To AMERICAN CABLE PATENT OFFICE g COMPANY, lIIN'C., A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE .wcLosTNG DTE Eon EorE nAxiNG MACHINES Application led September 17, 1931. Serial No. 563,261.

A This invention relates to closing dies for rope .making machines and has for its primary object the provision of a closing die adapted for use in the fabrication of Wire ro es. i i

15 component wires are running small or large,

yet within their tolerance.

A particular object of the present invention is to provide a closing die whichwill/'obviate the need for maintaining on hand several sets of dies for each A'size of rope, the

present invention providing a self-closing` die which will exert a constant compressive force in closing the rope, regardless of the above described variations in size of the component wires, and /or of the core.

Another object of the invention is to pro-` vide a closing die of the above character adapted to apply uniform pressure to pthe entire periphery of the rope. Still another ob- 30. ject is to provide a closing die by which a predetermined pressure can be applied to the rope at all times, compensating automatically for the aforesaid variations. Another object is to provide such a closing die with adjusting means adapted to -permit the die to be used in the formation of ropes of different sizes.

Among other objects of the invention is the provision of a die, the operation of which results in the formation of a perfectly round rope having uniform spacing between the component strands; also to provide a closing die of the above type adapted to yield sufciently to permit passage of a portion of t is well known the wire-rope making art that ropes of a given nominal size vary l the rope under formation which may be of abnormal diameter.'

The above and other features of the invention are illustrated and described fullyin the accompanying drawing and specification and are pointed out in`the claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a closing die in the construction of which the present invention has been embodied;

Fig.-2 is a view of the same in front elevation;

Fig. V3 is a'plan view of Fig. '2 showing the closing die in horizontal section on the line 3-.3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the dies and die blocks, taken in vertical longitudinal section on the. line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a `view in transverse vertical sec- .tion on the line 5?-5 of Fig. 4.

In a now preferred embodiment of the invent-ion selected for illustration and description to permit ready and completeunderstanding of the improved closing die, the reference character 11 designates the base of the machine, which may be of any suitable shape and size to support the operating parts of the closing die proper.

In pursuance of the invention, the form of die illustrated comprises! three segmental wedge-shaped sections l12, 13, and 14 mounted co-axially and movable longitudinally, in a frame comprising an upper block 15 and a lower block 16, Ithese blocks being formed with inclined inner walls 17 adapted to be engaged by4 the inclined vperipheries of the wedge-shaped segments, the latter forming, in their assembled relation, the frustum of a cone, and constitutiiig the closing die proper.- i i I Each of the blocks 15 and 16, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is provided with studs 18 mounted in sockets 19 and extending radially inward toward the axis of movement of the rope bein formed, the latter being designated by t e reference character R.

means for actuating the die segments to be described later herein.

As shown in Fig. 3, the die blocks are preferably provided with lateral lugs 24 adapted to be engaged with abutments 25 secured to the base by bolts 26, these abutments preventing displacement of the die under the action of the rope as it is being pulled through the die.

In further pursuance 'of the invention, means are provided adapted to exert a constant force upon the die `sections such as to cause the latter to be urged lengthwise in a direction opposite to that of the direction of movement of the rope under formation, the resultant of this force in connection with the sliding movement of the die parts alongthe inclined inner surfaces 17 of the die blocks 15 and 16 being to compress the die sections upon the rope with a constant pressure.

Any suitable form of lmeans may bev provided to bring about this compressiveaction, and as a now preferred form of such means I have shown a spring 27 mounted upon the base, being supported by a rod 28 fixed pivotally at 29 upon a bracket 33 extending from vthe table 31 upon which the operating parts of the closing die are mounted."

The action of the spring is communicated to the die sections bymeans of a lever 36 mounted pivotally at 37,upon a bracket 38 bolted at 39 to the table 31 and having its free end 40 apertured at 41 to pass the rod 28, the end `40 being adapted for engagement by the spring 27.

The intermediate or' body portion of the lever extends past the aperture 23 in the head of the die frame, and this intermediate portion of the lever `is provided with a threaded socket or bearing 42, enclosed by a removable cap 43, through which extends a member 44 threaded exteriorly to engage the threaded socket part of the body portion, and having a reduced nose portion 45 adapted to extend through the aperture 23 in the die' head, so that the nose bears against the ends 46 of the respective die sections. This member 44 is provided with a central bore 47 throughn which the rope can pass, and has a head 48 of polygonal section by which it can be rotated for adjustment in its bearing relatively to the die sections.

On the rod 28 carrying the spring is provided a handle 49 which may be screwed' along the end 30 to vary the tension upon the spring.

Preferably the spring will be of such proportions that it is adapted to permit the die se ents to yield lengthwise, and so expand radially, when greatlyincreased friction is exerted against the die segment by a rope portion having an excessively large diameter, so that no injury will be done to the die, which will function again in a normal manne-r when the abnormal condition has passed.

From the above description it can readily be seen that in operation, when the rope under formation is drawn through the dies in the direction of the arrow on Eig. 3, the action of the spring 27, communicated throughv the lever 36 and member 44 against the ends 46 of the die sections, causes the die sections respectively to move inward radially by rea' son of this longitudinal movement along the inclined surfaces 17 of the die blocks 15 and 16, and thus the die sections are urged with a constant compressive action upon the periphery of the rope, tending to close the component Wires uniformly into a compact rope structure having a perfectly rounded periphery, and causing the wire components to assume uniformly spaced relative positions in the rope. p

This action is produced in a manner which compensates for any slight variations in the diameters of individual wires, such as are encountered in practice in the rope making art, and thus the primary object of the invention is attained and any necessity for providingdseveral solid dies of diiferent sizes is obviate f By adjusting the position of the member 44 carried by the lever 36, and also by varying the tension upon the spring 27 by turning the hand wheel 49, the die may be adapted to operate upon rope of different sizes without changing the dies.

I claim:

1. A closing die of the class described; comprising a plurality of die segments, a support in which said segments `are mounted around the axis of formation of a rope, and actuating means to urge said die segments simultaneously toward the path of the rope to compress the rope under formation, said die segments and support respectively having -co-operatively inclined surfaces adapted to cause radial approach of said' segments toward the rope when moved longitudinally in one direction, and said actuating means comments.

prising a spring connected with said seg-Y 2. A closingY die of the class described;-

comprising a plurality of die segments, a support in which said segments are mounted around the axis of formation of a rope, and actuating means to urge said die segments simultaneously toward the path of the rope to compress the rope Aunder formation. said actuating means comprising a connecting member adapted to bear against one end of each of said die segments, ay lever adapted to operate said connecting lever, and a spring adapted to actuate said lever.

4.' A closingdie, as set forth in claim 3, and further characterized by having said connecting member formed as a cylinder with a threaded periphery mounted in a threaded seat in said lever, for adjustment 'toward and away from said die segments, whereby the extent of longitudinal movement of the latter may be varied.

5. A closing die` of the class described; comprising a plurality of die segments.l a support in which said segments arel mounted around t-he axis of formation of a rope, and actuating means to urge said die segments simultaneously toward the path of the rope to compress the rope under formation, said actuating means comprising a connecting member adaptedto bear against one end of each of said die segments, a lever adapted to operate said connecting lever, and a spring adapted to actuate said lever, and means to vary the tension upon said spring.

6. A closing die of the class described coinprising a plurality of wedge-shaped die segments; and die blocks in which said segments are mounted around the axis of format-ion of a rope in position to be engaged frictionally with the periphery thereof; said die segments and die blocks respectively having inclined surfaces adapted to be mutually engaged so that upon movement of the die segments along the axis of the `rope, in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the rope the rope under formation, said segments will mutually approach the periphery of the rope; and means to urge said die segments constantly in such opposite direction simultaneously thereby to cause a corresponding constant compressive action upon the periphery of the rope, said means comprising a spring connected with the die segments.

8. A closing die of the class described comprising a plurality of die segments, and dieblocks having inclined surfaces between which said segments are mounted around the axis of formation of a rope, so that upon movement .of the die segments along the axis of the rope in a direction opposite to that of formation of thev rope, said segments will mutually approach the periphery of the rope under formation; and means comprising a spring connected with the die segments and acting to urge the same constantly in a direction opposite to that of the movement of the rope, but adapted to permit said segments to yield longitudinally and expand radially upon abnormal increase .of friction between vthe periphery of the rope and said segments.

, In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

- PETER FRANK.

under formation, said segments will mutually approach the periphery of the rope; and means to urge said die segments constantly in such opposite direction simultaneously thereby to cause a corresponding constant compressive action upon the periphery of the ro e.

iI). A closing die of the class described comprising a plurality of wedge-shaped die segments; and die blocks-in which said segments are mounted around the axis of formation of a rope in position to be engaged frictionally with the periphery thereof; said die segments and die blocks respectively having inclined surfaces adapted to be mutually engaged so that upon movement of the die segments along the axis of the rope, in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of 

